Arab Community at the City Museum of Ljubljana

Following the principle of inclusiveness, the City Museum of Ljubljana has been carrying out the Museums Connecting project for the fourth consecutive year. The project is governed by the idea that getting acquainted with what is different enhances mutual understanding and respect, thereby leading to synergy and creative co-existence.

Within the framework of the Museums Connecting project, several exhibitions and accompanying events have so far been presented by seven communities which co-create and enrich life in Ljubljana and Slovenia: the Jewish, Bahá'í, Adventist, Islamic, Buddhist and the Spiritual Energies of Nature Orisha Communities and, in April this year, the Macedonian Community.

In October and November, the Arabs living in Slovenia will be presenting themselves. During the Yugoslav period, Slovenia was a highly sought after goal of Arab students as Arab countries had an agreement with the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia within the framework of the Non-Aligned Movement stimulating the granting of scholarships. Destiny (above all in the form of Cupid’s arrows) thwarted the plans of some of those students as they stayed in Slovenia after their studies came to an end and established families here. In fact, we may now speak of three generations of Arabs who enrich their and our lives by drawing on and mingling the two cultures. The fact that “our” Arabs come from more than 20 Arab countries provides for additional diversity. Completely new circumstances regarding the immigration of Arabs have emerged in the independent Slovenia.

Admission to the exhibition is free.